Dale will be hoping history repeats itself when referee Keith Stroud takes charge of Saturday’s match at Wycombe.
The Hampshire official was the referee at Adams Park in August 2004 when goals from Grant Holt, Gary Jones and Leighton McGivern gave Dale a rather flattering 3-0 win, which was their first at Wycombe’s home ground.
He was also the referee at Spotland early in our promotion season for the fine 3-0 win over Bury, in which Tom Kennedy showed great dignity after scoring Dale’s third goal from the spot!
Three months later Keith refereed the 2-1 victory at Dagenham, which came a week after the famous ‘The Slump Starts Here’ thread from legendary bury fan, robshaker. Unfortunately for rob, Dale then won six matches on the bounce!
The only game Dale haven’t won with Keith as the referee was a 1-1 draw at Barnet in September 2005.
Mr Stroud has had a rather chequered career since joining the league list in 2004, although he is now recognised as one of the Football League’s most consistent and highly-respected officials.
He climbed his way up to the Select Group of officials and took charge of several Premier League matches without any major controversies, yet was moved back to the National List three years ago, where he seems at his most comfortable.
This season he Keith has refereed 12 games, showing 41 yellow cards and just one red. On Tuesday he was in the middle for Charlton’s remarkable 5-4 win over Cardiff.